A repeat offender from Burlington talks about his life as a criminal

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A Burlington man with a history of nearly 300 encounters with police was back in court this week. He also spoke with our own Ike Bendavid about his life and struggles with mental health and addiction.

We have been following the story of Patrick Ibbotson for months. The Burlington man racked up dozens upon dozens of minor criminal charges only to be immediately released back into the community.

We heard the frustration of Ibbotson's victims and how state lawmakers are working to find better ways to deal with people like Ibbotson who are caught in a vicious cycle of crime.

While substance abuse is a problem, there are also questions about Ibbotson's mental health. He was previously found to be unfit to stand trial, but in another recent case the mental health department refused hospitalization.

Ibbotson is due back in court in a few weeks on one of his many open cases.

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